


The Love Of A Father

by WhatTheWentz



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Angst, Blood, Crying, F/M, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Fix-It of Sorts, Gunshot Wounds, Hospitals, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Titles, Major Character Injury, Minor Archieronnie, Post-Season/Series 01, Sad Archie, Shooting, Spoilers, Trauma, i cried whilst writing this help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 22:19:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10886070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatTheWentz/pseuds/WhatTheWentz
Summary: Fred Andrews has been shot, and Archie is unsure whether his dad will survive or not {Post Season 1}





	The Love Of A Father

**Author's Note:**

> Whew that finale! I cried at Fred getting shot, he's the best parent in riverdale!!  
> I wrote this as a fix it of sorts.

Isn’t it hilariously tragic how a single moment can tear down everything, shatter entire lives.  It had taken a single moment, a single bang and a single bullet to lead Archie Andrews to this situation, sobbing hysterically as his dying father laid, bleeding out in his lap.

 

_ “Dad, hang on!  You can’t leave me!”  _ Archie pleaded, his throat itchy from screaming.  He turned to Pop Tate and commanded, “Don’t just stand there,  _ call someone!” _

 

The older man seemed to be in shock, but the sound of Archie’s voice brought him back to reality.  He nodded, then ran off to get a phone.

 

“A-Archie…” Fred gasped in his son’s lap, his voice weak as he reached up with blood-soaked fingers to stroke Archie’s cheek.

 

Archie shook his head, expression crumpling with absolute devastation as he whispered, “It’s okay.  It’s okay.  Don’t try t-to talk.”

 

Putting pressure on the wound would’ve been easier without the large cast on one of his hands, he noted, feeling overwhelming guilt that the thought had even crossed his mind.  Would trading Cheryl’s life for his dad’s make him a horrible person?

 

_ Some damn hero. _

 

He was mentally taking back saving Cheryl just so he could save his dad.  It just wasn’t fair.  He had gotten a single win and now everything again was loss, and he couldn’t deal with it.

 

“A-Arch… I love you, son…” Fred choked out and began to cough up blood.

 

Archie begged, begged any god that existed as he put more pressure on the wound, “N-No, dad.  Don’t s-say that.  Y-You’re going to s-stay with me… and w-we’re going to move away, somewhere f-far away and safe, yeah?”

 

“S-Sounds nice…” his dad slurred slightly, eyes going unfocused and glassy.

 

Pop reappeared, announcing, “There’s an ambulance comin’ right now!  It’ll be here in a couple of minutes, Arch!”

 

“O… Okay.” Archie nodded, pulling his dad tighter against his chest, “Y-You’ve just gotta hold on, dad.  Please.  Just a couple more minutes, and everything’ll be--” the words caught in his throat.  He knew that even if the ambulance came, there was no guarantee that he would survive.

 

He added more pressure, cursing his broken hand as he wept into his dad’s shoulder, the smell of his cologne being drowned out by the metallic tang of blood.

 

“I-If I die…” his dad began.

 

Archie shook his head, “D-Don’t.  Please.  Don’t say goodbye.  I need you, dad.  Stay with me.”

 

Fred turned slightly with a cry of pain but the pain was worth it just to see his son, even if it was the last time.  He looked so much like his mother, even when crying, and that simultaneously broke his heart and filled him with pride.

 

“I love you so much… an’ I’m so proud of you.” Fred murmured, cupping Archie’s cheek, “My boy… a hero.”

 

Archie whimpered, “Well, what good is being a hero if I can’t even save my own dad?  Just… don’t leave me…”

 

“‘m proud of you, Arch…” Fred breathed before his eyelids began to droop shut, “‘m really tired…”

 

Archie shrieked,  _ “No, dad, please stay with me!” _

 

Fred seemed to fall asleep against him, and Archie frantically checked to see if he was still breathing, and sighed in relief when he noticed he was.

 

About a minute later, sirens caught Archie’s attention, and Pop Tate knelt beside him to try and help as the paramedics burst in.

 

They loaded Fred onto an ambulance within minutes, Archie clambering in the back whilst Pop Tate decided to stay behind.

  
The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever, and Archie couldn’t help but stare at his blood-soaked hands, his heart throbbing in his chest as he wondered  _ what if this is it? _

 

_ What if this is the night my dad dies and I can’t do anything about it? _

 

One of the paramedics were asking questions, ones that he couldn’t hear due to the thoughts screaming in his head, telling him that this was his fault, that he should be the one bleeding.

 

He felt sick, like he was going to throw up.  His breath came to him in short gasps, his hands trembling.  He was also really cold, unbearably cold.

 

One of the paramedics took his non-broken hand and wiped the blood off of it, reporting to the other, “He seems to be in shock.”

 

The paramedic working on Fred stopped for a single second to pass the other a shock blanket.

 

The medic tending to Archie wrapped the shock blanket around the teenager and took his hands between hers.  This seemed to catch Archie’s attention, and he blinked before looking at her.

 

“Hi, honey.” she said with a fake smile, “My name’s Alondra.  I’m going to need you to tell me what happened, so we can tell the police.”   
  
Archie shivered, “I-Is my dad…?”

 

“We don’t know for sure, honey.” she soothed, “But we’ll try our best.  What’s important is we get to the hospital.  Now I have to call Sheriff Keller but we need to know what happened.”

 

Archie nodded, sniffling, “I-I was in the bathroom w-washing my hands and I-I heard all of this noise suddenly.  W-When I ran out, there was this masked guy w-with a gun and he…” he ducked his head sobbed, “Oh, God… I can’t lose my dad!”

 

“I know…” the medic rubbed his back, “But hopefully, he can be stabilized.  Do you have a name?”

 

“Archie A-Andrews.” he mumbled before reaching out and took one of his dad’s hands, resting his forehead against it as he whispered, “I’m so sorry, dad… I promise I-I’ll be better.  I’ll be a better son, j-just don’t leave me!”

 

*

 

When they arrived at the hospital, Fred was immediately rushed into surgery, Archie attempting to run into the room with him only to be stopped by a doctor, who stood like a brick wall in front of him.

 

_ “I can’t leave him!”  _ Archie screamed.

 

The doctor seemed saddened to see him in his state, but remained vigilant, “I’m sorry, young man but I’m afraid I can’t let you in there.  Now, do you need any medical attention?”

 

“N-No, b-but my dad--”

 

The doctor broke him off, “--is in the hands of professionals.  Now is there anybody you can call?”

 

Archie gave a nod, then ran outside the hospital to shakily use his phone.  He struggled to type in Veronica’s number, unable to think due to the worry weighing him down.  He remembered being happy just this morning, having spent the night at his girlfriend’s after making love to her, the first time that he had actually good in a long time.

 

_ “Archiekins?”  _ Veronica’s voice was soft, chiding, comforting.

 

It didn’t make anything better though as Archie struggled to reply, only releasing a shaky gasp as tears tracked down his face.

 

_ “What happened?”  _ Veronica asked, noticing that he was crying,  _ “What happened?” _ __  
  


Archie released a harsh sob that felt more like a gut punch than anything as he replied,  _ “It’s m-my dad.  He’s been shot.” _ __  
  


_ “Oh my God.”  _ her voice instantly changed tone to one more sincere, worried, _ “Where are you?” _

 

Archie whimpered in reply, “A-At the hospital.  They rushed him into surgery.  Th-They don’t know if he’s going to--” he broke off with another heartbreaking hiccup, and he could feel his knees buckling from the weight of all that had happened, the urge to collapse upon the ground and scream becoming more prevalent.

 

_ “Hang on, I’ll text the guys and we’ll be right there.”  _ she said, and Archie could hear the sound of her getting up.

 

He croaked, “I can’t lose him, Ronnie.  He’s all I have left.”

 

_ “You have me.”  _ she reassured,  _ “You have Betty.  You have Jughead.  You’re not alone.  You’re never alone.  I’ll see you soon, okay?” _ __  
  


Archie nodded,  _ “O-Okay, Ronnie.  B-Bye.”  _ and he hung up and stood in the cold sobbing into his hands for a few minutes until a voice spoke and forced him to look up.

 

_ “Archie?”  _ It was Sheriff Keller, with Kevin standing by his side, hands fisted in his pockets.

 

Archie crossed his arms (or at least tried to, it was difficult to do so with a broken hand) and tried to keep himself together, “Sh-Sheriff, Kev.”

 

“Hi, Arch.” Kevin’s expression was sympathetic, and Archie couldn’t help but choke up at that.

 

Sheriff Keller said, “How about we go inside before you freeze out here?”

 

Archie nodded and listlessly followed the Sheriff inside, faintly acknowledging Kevin’s hand resting on his back.  When they got to a seat, Archie sat opposite the Sheriff, his gaze cast downward.

 

“Now son… from what I was told, you didn’t see the man who did this?” Keller began.

  
Kevin glared and hissed,  _ “Dad!” _ __  
  


“I’m sorry, but we have to get this sorted, okay?” the older man snapped back.

 

“My dad was just shot…” Archie grumbled, feeling new tears welling in his eyes, “So if you don’t mind, I’d prefer you not ask questions right as he’s getting cut open.”   
  


The Sheriff was about to say something, but noticed the gleam of rage in his son’s eye, so decided to give up for the second, “Okay, if that’s what you want, son.  I’ll go get you some water.” he got to his feet and left.

 

“I’m so sorry, Arch.” Kevin mumbled, revealing a quiet, comforting side of him that Archie had never seen before.  When he turned to look at his friend, he saw the threat of tears welling in his eyes too, as if just seeing Archie upset broke him, “I wish I could tell you that this is going to all be okay, but I can’t.  But I am hoping, I’m  _ praying  _ it does.” he squeezed Archie’s arm and offered a kind smile.

 

Kevin remained with Archie for a couple of minutes, then all of a sudden, Veronica, Jughead and Betty came bursting in.  Archie instantly jumped up and practically threw himself into Veronica’s arms so harshly that she initially stiffened, but soon relaxed as he broke down again, this time in her arms.

 

He didn’t care that his loud, choked sobs were causing people to stare because he couldn’t think about anything other than his dad maybe being dead in the surgery theatre.

 

“I got you…” Veronica murmured as he cried into her shoulder, and she looked to Betty and Jughead, who seemed to hold some kind of unspoken awkwardness between them, but were putting it aside to support their friend.

 

Betty reached out and rubbed Archie’s back, her own eyes glistening with tears whilst Jughead stood rigid, not knowing what he could do to help.

 

Sheriff Keller returned with a bottle of water to see Archie falling apart and he couldn’t help but frown and exchange a look with Kevin, knowing it’d break his heart if his son was ever hurt like that.  It was awkward being near Jughead, but the boy seemed to simply ignore his presence, looking at his friends instead.

 

Eventually, Archie pulled away from Veronica’s embrace, still crying but able to hold himself up more.

 

“Th-Thanks for coming.” he mumbled.

 

Jughead nodded, “Fred was there for me, he doesn’t deserve this.  And neither do you.”   
  


Veronica took Archie’s hands, “Come and sit with me, Archiekins…” she pulled him to a chair, taking a second to take the bottle of water from Keller.

 

When Archie was sitting, and the others had joined him, Veronica gave him the bottle, opening it for him.  He took a sip, feeling dehydrated from all the crying he had been doing.

 

“Your dad’s tough, Arch.” Betty encouraged, “He’ll survive this.”

 

*

 

About an hour later, the doctor from earlier wandered over, and Archie stiffened, preparing for the worst.

 

“Is he--” he couldn’t find it within himself to say the word, it tasting like poison on his tongue.

 

The doctor shook his head, “Looks like someone above is watching over your dad, kid.  We managed to stabilize him.”

 

“Oh, thank God.” Kevin whispered.

  
Archie let out a shuddering sigh of relief, tears welling in his eyes again as he asked, “C-Can I see him?”

 

“Well, he’s asleep right now, but you’re welcome to wait if you want.” the man said, “I’ll come get you when he wakes up.”

 

Archie nodded, sniffling.  He leaned into Veronica’s side and smiled for what felt like the first time in ages.  When the doctor left, he released a ragged, painful laugh and Veronica reached out to squeeze his hand.

 

“You should get some rest too.” she said, “I’ll wake you when the doctor comes back, okay?”

 

Archie gave a nod, then moved to rest his head on Veronica’s lap, feeling the events of the day begin to catch up to him.  Veronica lazily ran her fingers through red strands of hair, watching his expression as he began to fall asleep.

 

Internally, Veronica was guilt-riddled, worried that her parents had something to do with Fred’s being shot, and it made her uncomfortable to even look at Sheriff Keller, feeling like she had the word ‘criminal’ stamped on her forehead.  She tried to ignore her own feelings, however and focused on the small things, like how peaceful Archie looked as he slept.  She wondered if he had ate, or if he could even stomach anything.

 

She hadn’t been able to for hours after finding the Serpent Mustang’s body, and this was a whole different situation.  Archie had seen his dad getting shot and nearly dying, that was enough to cause trauma to anybody.

 

*

 

It was a couple of hours later that the doctor returned, and Veronica gave Archie a small nudge, watching as he jolted up, looking slightly confused for a second, as if he had thought that the events had all been some horrid nightmare.  Reality set in, and he frowned, looking up at the doctor.

 

“He’s awake.” the man said.

 

Archie got to his feet, feeling Veronica tug on his arm, “I can come with if you need me to.”   
  


“No, I, um… I need to do this alone.” Archie replied, then allowed himself to be led to the room where his dad was being kept.

 

He peered around the door, and his heart jumped when he saw his dad, not bleeding and alive again.  It took all his will not to leap into his arms, remembering that he was injured.

 

He rushed over to sit beside him, whispering, “Dad… you’re okay.”

 

Fred took his hands, and kissed them, “I’m okay, son.”   
  


Tears welled again in Archie’s eyes, and when one slipped over, his dad moved to wipe it away.

 

“I’m so sorry.” Archie whispered, “It should’ve been me.”   
  


Fred seemed angered by that, “Don’t you  _ ever  _ say that.  I’d die a thousand times before I’d let that happen, you hear me?”

 

Archie nodded and whimpered, “I-I love you, dad.  You can’t leave me.  Please, d-don’t leave me.”   
  


More tears cascaded down his face, so much so that he was surprised he could even cry any more, and yet, he continued, sobbing uglily.

 

“Hey… this wasn’t your fault, Arch.” Fred could feel himself getting choked up, “I’m okay.  Look at-- Hey, look at me.” he waited until his son did so to continue, “I’m okay.”   
  


Archie nodded and whispered, “I love you, dad.”   
  


“I love you too son.” Fred replied, wiping away more tears from his son’s cheek, “So, so much.”

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think?  
> Leave a comment/Kudos
> 
> Also, find me on tumblr at:  
> sapphicfreyamikaelson (my main)  
> archieandrewsdefensesquad (archie sideblog)


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